Euro 2012: Spain Defeats Portugal

Spain v. Portugal on 6/27/2012 was a very slow game.  The Euro 2012 Semifinal match was extremely well played.  The first and second halfs showed very few opportunities and the game seemed destined for overtime and beyond.  Beginning in the first extra time period, Spain really turned up the heat on the tired Portuguese side, who surrendered many shots to the attackers.  They held on to the 0-0 draw which brought penalties.  Excellent saves by each goalie on the first two shots, but a few Portuguese shooters ended up missing shots sending the Spaniards into the Finals on Sunday in Kiev, Ukraine. 

Euro 2012: Semifinal Previews

I have watched a bunch of this Euro 2012 tournament.  I was in Brazil for the beginning of it, watching with my brother in law and the other soccer-crazed fans. Predictably, it is only the blue chip countries left in the tournament.  I watched the England v Italy quarterfinal match Sunday, which was quite uneventful, with Italy controlling possession but failing to convert any goals. A 2-0 result was equally likely as the 0-0 result with Italy winning in PKs.  England's woeful control of the ball, and few scoring opportunities, in spite of an average Italian backfield are definitely not re-assuring for supporters of the Red and White. 

Looking forward to the Semi-finals, we have two similar matchups.  The heavily favored Spanish and German teams go up against the Cristiano Ronaldo's (Portugal) and Italy, respectively.

Spain's dominant side, led by their flashy offensive scorers, are the favorite to win the tournament, but Germany's methodical wins in the early rounds may signify that they have a chance.  I like both favorites to go through to the final, but the are certainly not locks.  Spain has a better chance of getting an unlucky exit from a red hot Ronaldo, as Germany's offense has looked unstoppable and the feeble defense and inconsistent offense of the the Azzuri are unlikely to cause them much trouble.